Color key indicator



March 29, 1938. FLETCHER 2,112,457

COLOR KEY INDICATOR Filed May 22, 1936 Patented Mar. 29, 1938 2,112,457

UNITED STATE FllQE COLOR KEY INDICATOR Frank Morley Fletcher, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application May 22, 1936, Serial No. 81,210

Claims. (Cl. 88l4) This invention is an instrument to be used by thecircle of color symbols, above given. It will artists and othersplanning color schemes in varbe noticed that the numbers are notregularly ious arts. progressive in order and are peculiarly inter- Anobject is to provide a simple, practical and mixed and are not evenlyspaced, though they 5 low cost indicating device whereby to readily andare spaced in such angular relation as to be, as ,5 efficlently select agroup of colors which will l1ara group, registerable with a group ofcolor sy2nmoniously combine with a given key color, and bols whichharmonize with respect to each key an object is to provide a scale ofcolor of large color severally selected. That is, the numbered range ofcolor keys and a selecting indicator coangles of the heptagonal card arespaced angu- 2o operative therewith whereby to show at a glance larly soas to be registered at one time with a a large group of colorsharmonizing with each like number of the scale symbols. of the keycolors. To obtain the greatest variety of colors be- The inventionconsists of certain advancetween any three, main color symbols, atpoints ments in this class of devices as set forth in the of unequal arcintervals in the scale, a triangle,

l5 ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, or color triad, ismade by a chordal line from additional objects and advantageshereinafter the key number 1 to the number 2 on the ro developed, andwhose construction, combination tary card I and sub-tends an arc of fourinterand details of means, and the manner of operavals on the colorcircle or scale, Fig. l, and a tion will be made manifest in thedescription of chordal line subtends indicator numbers 2 and 3,

:0 the annexed illustrative form; it being underat three intervalsapart, and a long chord substood that modifications, variations andadaptatends indicator numbers 1 and 3, at five intertions may beresorted to within the concept of vals. This gives a large variety ofintervals in the invention as it is more directly claimed herethe colorscale without including opposite color inafter. 4 symbols, and providestwo points in harmonious Figure l is a plan or face view of the colorcontrast, all available at each key color selection indicatinginstrument, in group showing position on the scale. as to the key colororange in the scale. Figure A fourth point 4, of the selecting card I,is con- 2 is a plan of the reverse face of the movable, nected by achordal line to the index point 1 selecting member of the deviceadjusted to the and an additional, three interval are is brought keycolor green. Figure 3 is an edge View of the into selecting range. Afurther range is made,

structural elements of the indicator. still avoiding clash of opposites,by a chord from The instrument consists of a basal element A, index 1 toindex 5, embracing two color intervals. such as a stiff, plane cardhaving a trunnion T Thus, selection of the harmonious colors as to onwhich is mounted a rotary indicator member any one of the scale symbolsin the range may I for color group selection and which is reversible bereadily facilitated in making up a color comface for face to increasefunctional capacity. bination. Further addition to the range is made Onthe face of the base card A there is a series by a line from index 2 toindex 6, or from 1 to of symbols spaced in equal arcs of a circle about'7, without incurring opposite clash of colors. the trunnion T, and mayor may not have an This seven pointed index card has characteristics 1)associated scale circle A. The symbols are the possessed by no otherform that can be made by- 40 initial letters of the colors or thecombinations seven points in a series or circle of twelve equal ofcolors forming the keys in the color scale and intervals of colorsymbols. Each of its points is are not to be considered relative, inspacing, to in harmonious contrast with two nearly opposite thespectrum. points, excepting one pair which is in direct op- 43 The colororder as here shown, to the right, in position, that is 6 and '7. Theheptagonal card 45 the circle is Y (yellow), YG (yellow green), G I issymmetrical only with respect to the diam- (green), GB (green lue), B(blue), BV (blue eter through the index point 5 and the center ofviolet), V (violet), VR (violet red), R (red), R0 the circle.

(red orange), 0 (orange), and OY (orange yel- By revolving the indexcard I on its center so low). the color grouping numbers will touch adifferent 5 The indicator member I consists of a plane, series of sevencolor symbols of the scale at each heptagonal card having a formcorresponding to selective movement to any desired key color, a theangular disposition of a series of color nummajority having a harmoniouscolor relation. bers 5, 2, 6, 3, l, '7, and 1, and which are arranged Itfollows from the order of the successive steps 5,", in a circleconcentric withand in proximity to in the construction of the 435 colorinterval triangle or color triad that there is only one other figurethat could serve in precisely the same way. This would be the samefigure reversed, each step being taken in the counter-clockwisedirection, Fig. 2, in contrast to the clockwise rotation of the card I,Fig. 1; it being understood that the order and arrangement of the groupindex numbers are identical on the obverse face, Fig. l, and the reverseface, Fig. 2, of the card I, the only difierence being in thedirectional arrows DD on the respective faces of the card which indicatethe order of the numbers rather than the direction of rotation of thecard, since this may obviously be revolved in either direction, witheither face upward. By reversing the card face for face its groupingindex numbers set off twelve new groups of colors as to the color scale;that is different from the groups set off when the obverse face, Fig. 1,is upward.

This great range of possible harmonious color grouping as to the scalecolors will be obvious to all students of color combination.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for selecting a group of colors which will harmonize with agiven key color, comprising, in combination, a base member bearing acircular scale of color symbols equally spaced in the circle insubstantially the following order;

YYGG-GB-BBV-VVR-R-ROOOY,

reading clockwise, and a relatively rotatable, heptagonal, color groupselector card within the circular scale and pivoted on said base memberconcentrically of the circle; said card inscribing a facial triangularfigure of unequal sides with the apex of its longest sides being markedas the key for selective registration with any one of the symbols, andthe apices of the card being so angularly spaced that when the card ispositioned with its key apex adjacent any symbol on the scale the otherapices are adjacent symbols representing colors harmonizing with thecolor rep resented by the color symbol at which the key mark is set.

2. A color group selector as set forth in claim 1, and in which the keyapex is provided with base numeral 1 and the other apices of the cardare provided with numbers each differing in mag nitude fromv the basenumber in accordance with the degree of disharmony between the colorindicated by the corresponding apex and the key color.

3. A color group selector comprising, in combination, the elements asset forth in claim 1, and in which the card is reversible face for faceon the base member, and the reverse face having a corresponding trianglein a directly reversed relation as to the triangle on the obverse face.

4. A color group selector comprising, in combination, the elements asset forth in claim 1, and in which five sides of the rotary card areeach of the length of a chord connecting color symbols of two successiveintervals of the circle scale,

and two of the sides are of the length of a chord connecting symbols ofone interval of the circle scale and are at diametrically opposite sidesof the said card; the longest side of the inscribed triangle having alength equal to the chord of five of the circular scale intervals, thenext longer having a length of four of the scale intervals, and thepoint of intersection of said sides constituting the said key point ofthe selector card and bearing mark 1, the opposite end of the secondline being marked 2, and the opposite end of the longest side beingmarked 3.

5. A color group selector as set out in claim 1, and in which theheptagon has five equal sides and two shorter sides which latter are innearly diametrically opposite relation on the heptagonal card and have alength equal to the chord of one interval of the circular scale, and theangles of the card, beginning at one end of one of the short sides,being marked in the following order 171, 5, 2:7, 3n, 4, and m7 FRANKMORLEY FLETCHER.

